By: Rodríguez  S.B. No. 436
         (In the Senate - Filed January 6, 2017; February 6, 2017,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Education;
  May 3, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 10,
  Nays 0; May 3, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the operation of the special education continuing
  advisory committee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 29.006, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), and (h) to read as follows:
         (d)  Committee meetings must be conducted in compliance with
  Chapter 551, Government Code.
         (e)  The committee shall provide a procedure for members of
  the public to speak at committee meetings. The procedure may not
  require a member of the public to register to speak earlier than the
  day of the meeting.
         (f)  The agency must post on the agency's Internet website:
               (1)  contact information for the committee, including
  an e-mail address;
               (2)  notice of each open meeting of the committee;
               (3)  minutes of each open meeting of the committee; and
               (4)  guidance concerning how to submit public comments
  to the committee.
         (g)  The committee shall develop a policy to encourage public
  participation with the committee.
         (h)  Not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the
  committee shall submit a report to the legislature with recommended
  changes to state law and agency rules relating to special
  education. The committee shall include the committee's current
  policy on encouraging public participation, as required by
  Subsection (g), in the report.
         SECTION 2.  Section 29.006(d), Education Code, as added by
  this Act, applies only to an open meeting of the special education
  continuing advisory committee held on or after the effective date
  of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
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